Dumping box and supporting structure therefor with means for receiving contents of said box



May 13, 1952 B. D. M INTYRE ETAL 2,596,908

DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FOR RECEIVINGCONTENTS OF SAID BOX Filed Feb. 27 1948 3 Sheets-Sheet l 2; i ii g? H; EE T INVENTORS. ,Bzfau wer .9. y frzilzxre Mill am I. )f frzzzyre.

May 13, 1952 B. D. MGINTYRE ET AL 2,596,908

DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FoR RECEIVINGCONTENTS OF SAID BOX 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 27, 1948 B. D. MOINTYREETAL DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUCTURE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FORRECEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX Filed Feb. 27, 1948 May 13, 1952 5Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented May 13, 1952 DUMPING BOX AND SUPPORTING STRUC-TUBE THEREFOR WITH MEANS FOR RE- CEIVING CONTENTS OF SAID BOX Brouwer D.McIntyre and William D. McIntyre,

Monroe, Mich.,

assignors to Monroe Auto Equipment Company, Monroe, Mich., a corporationof Michigan Application February 27, 1948, Serial No. 11,536

8 Claims. (Cl. 222-185) 1 This invention relates to a dumping boxstructure and to a combination dumping box and supporting structure, andis an improvement over our copending application, Serial No. 688,462,filed August 5, 1946, now Patent No. 2,440,056, dated April 20, 1948.

' .The aforementioned copending application illustrates generally adumping box of the type having a bottom closure pivotally connected withthe box. portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movementtoward and away from the box and incorporating arm means for holding thebottom closure in its upwardlyswung closed position, which means arereleasable to permit the bottom closure to swing downwardlyto an opendumping position. A supporting structure is also illustrated in thiscopending application for supporting the box portion on a supportingsurface whereby to permit the entrance of the fork of a lift truckbetween a supporting surface and the bottom closure so that the bottomclosure canbe swung into its upwardly swung closed position by means ofa lift truck fork or platform.

The principal objects of thisinvention are to provide a dumping box ofthe aforementioned type which is provided with improved mechanism forlatching and releasably retaining the bottom closure in its upwardlyswung closed position; to provide a dumping box of the aforementionedtype which may be lifted by means of a suitable lifting device such as alifting crane, lift truck or the like and which is constructed so thatthe bottomclosure can be swung to its closed position when the boxstructure is lifted by the lifting device; to provide an improvedsupporting stand on which the dumping box may be mounted, adjacent amachine, assembly line, or the like, so as'to'provide easy access to thematerial disposed within the dumping box; to provide a supporting standof the aforementioned type which is adapted both for side and frontdelivery and which can bereadily and speedily changed from one type ofdelivery arrangement to the other; to provide generally a dumping boxand combination dumping box and supporting stand structure which isespecially eflicient in operation, rugged in construction, inexpensiveto manufacture and which will greatly reduce many of the currentproblems now existing in the material handling field.

These and other objects of this invention will become apparent from thefollowing detailed description taken in conjunction with theaccor'npanying drawing in which box constructed in accordance with oneform of the invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary front elevational view of the structureillustrated in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 2 taken along the line 33 thereof;

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view of a further embodiment of a dumpingbox structure, supported on a supporting stand, with the bottom closurein its upwardly swung closed position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view similar to Fig. 4 illustrating the bottomclosure of the dumping box in its downwardly swung dumping position;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. 4 taken along the line 6-6 thereof;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of the supporting stand illustrated in Fig.4;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view of the structure illustrated inFig. '7 taken along the line 8--8 thereof and Fig. 9 is an enlargedsectional view of the structure illustrated in Fig. 8 taken along theline 9-9 thereof.

Referring'now to the drawing and more particularly to Figs. 1 to 3 itwill be seen that a dumping box I I is illustrated which is preferablyformed with corrugated metal walls having a beaded upper edge I 3. Thebottom closure for the box II is indicated at l5 and is likewisepreferably made of corrugated sheet metal braced by a plurality oflongitudinally spaced generally U-shaped cross members IT. The bottomclosure I5 is pivotally connected with-the box portion I l adjacent therear wall thereof, by means of pivot pins l9, mounted in a supportingleg structure 23. The supporting leg structure 23 supports the box in anelevated position above a supporting stand or other supporting surface,and comprises runnerlike legs 25 preferably formed of structural membersof generally U-shaped cross section. Side plates 26 are secured to thebox and supporting legs 25 below the bottom closure (5, and have aninclined lower edge, as can be seen in Fig. 1. The side plates 26cooperate with the bottom closure [5, when the latter is in a downwardlyswung open or dumping position, to form a laterally closed chute downwhich elements carried within the box I I may slide.

In order to releasably retain the bottom closure in its upwardly swungclosed position, latch means are provided, which include a pair oflaterally spaced plungers 21slidably supported in, and extendingthrough, apertures 29 in the for- 3 wardmost pair of'bottom closurecross members I1, indicated at Her and I112. Extending between andsecured to the plungers 21, adjacent the forwardmost cross memberflais aconnector plate 3| which ties the two plungers together for coordinatedmovement. A coil spring 33 is disposed on each plunger 21 between theback face of the connector plate 3| and the front face of the crossmember [1b. The vcoil springs 33. normally urge the plungers 21 and theconnector.

member 3| forwardly, and the movement of the plungers is limited by theengagement, ofv the con-1 nector plate 3| with the cross member 11a. Theouter ends of each of the plungers 21 are tapered at 32 and are adapted,when the bottom is in its closed position, to be receivedin, and projectthrough, apertures 34 in latch'plates'35 which are welded or otherwisesuitably secured-to :the"

front wall of the box portion H. The front cross member. I111 isprovidedwith a central aperture 31, over which is welded or otherwisesuitably secured a guard orv bracket 39,. including.v front and sidewalls. Projecting'through the aperture 31. andinto theconfinesoftheguard or .bracket 39: is the outerend of a pin. 4|. Theinneror back endof the pin 4| projects through an aperture. in cross beam I11) andtheintermediate portionof the pin is welded orotherwise suitablysecuredto the connector plate3l. Therefore, by insertinga tool. 45,.shown in Fig. 4, into the space between the front wall of the guard39-and the outer. end of the pin 4|, the. pin. can be moved rearwardly,and the plungers 21 will .be moved rearwardly, against theaction of. thesprings 33, thus, withdrawing the forward ends of the plungers from thelatch plate 35. The bottom closure I5. will.then drop down into .its.downwardly swung open or dumping position. When the bottom closurelis-raised toits.upperclosedposition, thetapered plunger ends 32 willCaIIL-OVEI the lower ends of the latch plates 35am will be forcedrearwardly. against theaction of the springs I 33 .until .the plungerscomev into alignment with the apertures 34 in the plate. The. springs 33will. then. force the forwardends of' the .plungers 29..through theapertures 34so as to .releasably latch. the bottom closure .15 in itsupwardly swung closed position.

The vmodifieddumping box illustrated in Figs. l throughfi includes, inaddition to vthestructure previously described, structure forpermittingthe bottomclosureto beswungto its closed position and thebox-to be liftedbymeans of a lifting device such asan overhead. crane.-This structure :includes substantiallyvertically extending straps Elwhich are. slidably .connectedtdthe opposite sidewalls of thedumping-box. Il', adjacent the front wallthereof. Each of the straps 51has its upper end provided with. an eyelet .53 which. isadapted .tovreceive a conventional crane hook. ora hookLon .a cable sling.Eachstrapji is provided with a. slot 55 adjacentthe upper end thereof,and a headed pin- 51, whichiswelded or otherwise suitably secured to theside wallof the box H, is slidably reoeivedin the slot 55.to permit thestrap 5| to movesubstantially vertically with respect to, thesidewallofthe box H. The lower endof the strap 5! is-pivotally connectedto the bottom closure I5, by means of a laterally extending pivot bar 59which is supported .in the bottom closure [5 and'has its oppositeendsprojecting: outwardly, througharcuate slots. 6 I'. in. the-.zsideplates..26, andpivotally connected tothelower endof .thestrapsjl, at: a

63. Straps having eyelets on the upper end thereof in the same manner asthe straps 5|, are fixedly secured to the side walls of the dumping boxH at 66, adjacent the back wall thereof soasto provide, with the straps5!, four eyelets, connectible with a crane-hook through a cable sling orthe like, so that the dumping box structure may be lifted by a liftingdevice such as an overhead crane. It will be appreciated that when thestraps 5|- 'are'lifted by the crane the bottom closure l5t-willabe-swungto its closed position and will be: effectively and positively locked inthis position as long as the box is being lifted by the crane. Ifdesired the latch mechanism described. insthesprevious embodiment, andwhich is shown in Figs-4 through 6, may be eliminated, but preferably itis employed so that the box is adapted foruse-with both a crane-typelifting device-as well as a lift truck device, as previously described.

Referring now to Figs. 7 through 9,.a,supporting, stand..61Tis-illustrated which includes legs 68 and a .top frame 69. A portion,of. the topjrame 69 projects forwardly of the-,legstructure.6810 provide,in. effect a. forwardly projectingledgeor shelflike frame structure 10,"includingsidewall's 1| and a front end wall .13. Detachably securedto. theunder side of the forwardly projecting frame structure10,by meansof bolts 1510: -the like,,is alaterally enclosed side delivery chute.11, the bottom wall of which is downwardlyinclined, transverselywithrespect to the supportingstand. Thev chute 11 is provided with adeliveryopening 19 at one end. .thereof andfladjacentv one side ofv the stand.61; When theside delivery ,ch.ute

,11,is secured .totheunder side of theforwardly projecting framestructure 10, the supporting stand is adapted for .use forsidedeliyeryofelements, andjif it is desired to use the, stand forfront, delivery purposes a plate BI is. mounted jon the frame structure.10,. between...the.side walls H, the front wal1'13 s0 asv to closenffltheupper end of theside delivery. chute. 11 andjprovide a forwardlyprojecting ledge. orsh'elfjforfront deliverypurposes.

When .the dumping ,box. .is. mounted]; on. ,the supporting. stand..61;as. illustrated,.in- Fig$.-. 4 through ,6, therunnerlikelegs25'aresupported on the top frame 69 so .that. the. bottom closure !5isdisposed in .a plane. above .thatof the for.- wardly projecting framestructurelfl. When thebottom. closure 15 is released, ,it.-will.pivotdownwardly toits dumping position.; as illustrated .in. Fig. 5,- andtheside-plates .23 on.,the box cooperate. with theside, plates 1|.of... thesupporting .stand to providea laterallyenclosed chute which isvopenatthe. front end.. thereof so that material. orelements within thedumping boX willslide along. the. inclined. dropped, bottom? and intothe topframe structure 10..be-

tween ,the side walls]! and the front .wa1l13.

If the .plate- 8 l isnot used the. materialwilljdrop into the sidedelivery chute11 .so that .the material will. be disposed adj acent..the..opening 19 at one end thereof soas to be readily accessibletoamachine operator or. the like. However, when front delivery isdes'iredthe plate.8|-. is positioned on the frame structurelfl soastocoverandclose off the side delivery chute. 11 and th material fromthe box will therefore be discharged-onto the plateBl within theconfinesofthesideplates 1| and the end wall 13, thus permittingfrontdeliverycfthe material from. the box..

'ihus it will be appreciated:thatrthe dumpin boxes herein illustratedmay be liftedibythesfork of a lift truck, which may engage the underside 'of the bottom closure l so as to swing the same to. its upwardlyclosed position prior to lifting the box and moving it either to asupporting surface or a supporting stand, such as is illustrated in thedrawings. Likewise it will be appreciated that the dumping box may beprovided with the strap means, by means of which the bottom closure maybe closed when the box is lifted by a crane-type'lifting device or thelike and moved to any supporting surface or to a suitable supportingstand. The boxes herein illustrated thus are provided with a simple andpositive mechanism by means of which the bottom closure may bereleasably locked so that there will be no danger of the bottom closure15 accidentally opening. Likewise, the boxes of this invention areadapted to be lifted by various types of lifting devices and are adaptedto be mounted on a supporting stand so that either front or sidedelivery may be easily obtained, thus providing a more efiicientoperating material handling unit which may be used for many morepurposes than any heretofore known in the art.

We claim:

1. A self-contained portable dumping box structure including a boxportion, a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portionadjacent the rear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and awayfrom said box, a pair of laterally spaced spring pressed plungersslidably supported in said bottom portion and having the forward endsthereof resiliently held in a forwardly projecting relationship withrespect to the forward edge of said bottom closure, means operativelyconnecting said plungers for coordinated movement, a pair of laterallyspaced latch-engaging members connected with said box portion forreleasably engaging said plungers and holding said bottom closure in anupwardly swung closedv position with respect to said box portion, saidplunger connecting means being operable to move said plungers out ofengagement with said latch-engaging elements and thereby permit saidbottom to swing downwardly about its pivotal connection, a supportingstructure connected with said box portion for supporting the latter on asupporting surface, said supporting structure having an opening adjacentthe rear wall of said box portion to permit the entrance of a fork of alift truck between said bottom closure and said supporting. surfacewhereby said bottom closure may be engagedby the fork of a lift truckand moved from its downwardly swung open position to its upwardly swungclosure position and whereby said box may be lifted by said lift truckfork.

2. A self-contained dumping box structure including a box portion, abottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent therear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away from said boxportion, a pair of laterally spaced spring pressed plungers slidablysupported in said bottom closure and having one end thereof resilientlyheld in a forwardly projecting relationship with respect to said bottomclosure, plate means interconnecting said laterally spaced plungers,laterally spaced latchengaging elements connected with said box portionfor engaging said plungers and releasably retaining said bottom closurein its upwardly swung closed position, means connected with said plungerinterconnecting means and projecting through and forwardly of saidbottom closure and adapted to be actuated for moving said plungersrearwardly out of engagement with "6 said latch-engaging elementswhereby said bottom closure may swing to its downwardly swung openposition, supporting structure connected with said box portion forsupporting the latter on a supporting surface, said supporting structurehaving an opening adjacent the rear wall of said box portion to permitthe entrance of the fork of a lift truck between a supporting surfaceand said bottom closure whereby said bottom closure may be engaged bythe fork of a'lift truck and swung from its downwardly swung openposition to its upwardly swung closure position and whereby said box maybe lifted by said fork, and confining means connected with said dumpingbox structure oneach side of said bottom closure whereby to define withsaid bottom closure a laterally enclosed chute when the latter is in itsdownwardly swung open position.

3-. A self-contained portable dumping box structure including a box.portion, supporting structure connected with said box portion forsupporting the latter on a supporting surface, a bottom closurepivotally connected with said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereoffor swinging movement toward and away from said box portion, means onsaid box structure adapted to be connected to a lifting device such as alifting crane or the like for use in lifting said dumping box structureand including a rigid strap connected at one end to said-bottom closureso that swinging movement of said bottom closure in either directionwill cause vertical movement of said strap, said strap having theopposite end projecting above the top of said box portion, meansconnecting said strap means to said box portion for relative verticalmovement with respect thereto, means on the upper projecting portion ofsaid strap means adapted to be connected to the lifting device wherebywhen the means including the strap means are lifted said bottom closurewill be swung to its closure position prior to the lifting of said boxstructure by said lifting device. V

4. A self-contained dumping box structure including a box portion,supporting structure connected with said box portion for supporting thelatter on a supporting surface, a bottom closure pivotally connectedwith said box portion adjacent the rear wall thereof for swingingmovement toward and away from said box portion, laterally spacedconfining plates connected with said dumping box structure and definingwith said bottom closure when the latter is in its downwardly swung openposition a laterally enclosed chute, means on the box structure adaptedto be connected to a lifting device such. as a lifting crane or the likeincluding strap means slidably connected to said box portion forgenerally vertical movement with respect thereto, the upper end of saidstrap means projecting above the top of said box portion and havingmeans formed thereon adapted to be connected to the lifting device, saidside confining plates having generally vertical slots therein, meansconnecting the lower end of said strap means to said bottom closurethrough said side plate slots, whereby when said means including saidstrap means are lifted by the lifting device the bottom closure will beswung to its upward closure position prior to the lifting of said boxstructure by said lifting device.

5. In combination, a supporting stand including a forwardly projectingportion having an opening in the bottom thereof, a laterally enclosedside delivery chute connected to the underside of-said forwardlyprojecting portion and normally communicating with said projectingportion opening, said side delivery chute having atransversely inclinedbottom wall and a delivery opening adjacent one end thereof, a closurefor said projecting portion opening adapted to be releasablysupported onsaid projecting portion whereby said stand may be used for frontdelivery when said closure is employed and said stand may be used forside delivery when said closure is-removed from said projecting portion,a dumping box structure removably supported on said stand and includinga bottom closure pivotally connected with said box portion adjacent therear wall thereof for swinging movement toward and away therefrom, meansfor supporting said box on said stand far enough above the plane of saidstand projecting portion to permit the material within said box to slidealong said bottom closure when the latter is in its downwardly swungopen position and into said stand projecting portion.

6. In combination, a supporting stand including a forwardly projectingframe portion having an opening in the bottom thereof, a laterallyenclosed side delivery chute secured to the underside of said forwardlyprojecting portion and normally communicating with said frame portionopening, said side delivery chute having av bottom wall inclinedtransversely of said supporting stand and having a delivery openingadjacent one end thereof, a closure for said projecting frame portionopening adapted to be releasably supported on said frame portion wherebysaid stand may be used for front delivery when said closure is employedand may be used for side delivery when said closure is removed, aself-contained portable dumping box removably supported on said standand including a bottom closure pivotally connected with said box forswinging movement toward and away therefrom, means for supporting saidbox on said stand with said bottom closure above said stand projectingportion, side plates associated with said box structure and cooperatingwith said bottom closure and said supporting stand side walls to definea laterally enclosed chute open beneath the lower edge of the front ofthe box whereby the forward edge of the bottom closure will inadownwardly swing open position engage said stand projecting frameportion so as. to permit sliding of material in said box onto saidprojecting frame portion within the confines of said chute and wherebyto permit the stand to be used either. for front or. side deliverypurposes.

7..In combination a supporting stand. including a forwardlyprojectingportion having an opening. in the bottom thereof, a laterally8 enclosed side delivery chute secured tothecunderside of said forwardlyprojecting .portionand communicating with. said projecting portionopening, said side delivery chute having a bot-. tom wall inclinedtransversely of saidsupporting stand and/having a deliveryopeningadjacent one end thereof, a self-contained portable dumping boxremovably supported on said stand and including a bottom closurepivotally connected with said box for swinging movement toward and awaytherefrom, means for supporting said box oneaidstandfar enough above theplane of said stand projectingportion to permit the material within saidbox to slide along said bottom closure when the latter is initsdownwardly swung open position and into said side delivery chute.

8. A supporting stand adapted for use-in sup porting a. dumping boxstructure, including a supporting structure for supporting a box-above astand supporting surface, a forwardly pro jecting portion having anopening in the bottom thereof, a-laterally enclosed side delivery chutesecured to the underside of said forwardly projecting portion andnormally communicating with said projecting portion opening, said sidedelivery chute having the bottom wall thereof inclined transversely withrespect to said supporting stand and being provided-with a deliveryopening adjacent one end thereof, a removable closure plate for saidprojecting portion opening releasably supported on said projectingportion whereby said stand may be used for front delivery when saidclosure is employed and may be used for side delivery when said closureplate is removed.

BROUWER D. MCINTYRE. WILLIAM D. MCINTYRE;

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 300,219 Cochrane June 10, 1884347,393 Smith Aug. 17, 1886 777,431 Randolph Dec. 13, 1904 834,305Kozora Oct.. 30, 1906 893,516 Keeran July 14, 1908 928,858 Doud July 20,1909 1,041,016 Butts Oct. 15, 1912 1,110,018 Van Schoiack Sept. 8, 19141,373,521 Neller Apr. 5, 1921 1,411,453 Nolan Apr. 4, 1922 1,619,784Counts 1- Mar. 1, 1927 2,131,651 Woo Sept.27, 1938 2,440,056 McIntyre eta1. Apr. 20-, 1948

